Adedayo Kanisuru, an hairdresser and mother of two, on Tuesday, urged a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve the 12-year-old marriage between her and her estranged husband, Sherif, because he usually threatens her with a broken bottle.
In her petition to the court, Adedayo, a resident of Apete area of Ibadan, said that her husband often attacked her with broken bottles whenever there was any dispute.
“Whenever there was any misunderstanding between Sherrif and me at home, the first thing he does is to break a bottle and threaten to stab me.
“My lord, Sherif is such a wicked man no woman should ever marry because he tortures the two children and me with starvation and lack of care.
“As if that is not enough, he comes to my shop to destroy my goods and leave me with nothing.
“Worst still, Sherif has secretly married another wife somewhere and has even abandoned the two children to me.
“The last time he came home, Sherif stole the little I had left on me and when I complained, he unleashed mayhem on me.
“When Sherif was seriously ill, my parents and I spent all we had on him, but he has remained an ingrate.
“He has forcefully taken the children from me and he can’t give them the needed care,” Adedayo said.
The respondent, who did not oppose the also divorce, also did not deny most of the allegations levelled against him.
Sheriff, however, argued that his wife was wayward.
“Though I accept to part ways with Adedayo, I don’t want the court to give her custody of the children because she is a wayward woman.
“The children might not be well brought up due to the fact that she is busy going to parties.
“In fact, Adedayo leaves home in the morning and returns home by eight in the night.
“I am very happy that she is going because I have long lived under the threat of her waywardness and troublemaking,” Sherif said.
Chief Ademola Odunade, the court’s President, dissolved the union between Adedayo and Sherif, saying there was no more love between them.
Odunade awarded custody of the two children produced by the union to Adedayo and ordered Sherrif to pay N10,000 as monthly feeding allowance for the children.
He also directed the respondent to be responsible for the children’s education and other welfare needs.
(Punch/NAN)
